Ezekiel 44:16

16 "They shall come to my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table to serve me, and they will observe my requirement.

Ezekiel 44:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 44:16

They shall enter into my sanctuary
Both to officiate, and to participate, which strangers and uncircumcised persons might not do, ( Ezekiel 44:9 ) : and they shall come near to my table to minister unto me;
which some understand of the altar of burnt offering, which was as a table, and the sacrifice on it was the food of the Lord, ( Leviticus 3:11 Leviticus 3:16 ) , others, the altar of incense; see ( Ezekiel 41:22 ) . Kimchi interprets it of the table of shewbread; but, whatever is meant in the letter, the mystical sense is, the ordinance of the Lord's supper, called the Lord's table, ( 1 Corinthians 10:21 ) , a table richly spread, and well furnished with spiritual provision: here Christ himself sits, bids his people welcome, eats with them, and they with him; and here all the saints are guests, and ministers in particular officiate: and they shall keep my charge;
continue to do so; for this they did before, ( Ezekiel 44:15 ) , but now should be confirmed in their office, and never be displaced, as others; they that honour God he will honour, ( 1 Samuel 2:30 ) .

Ezekiel 44:16 In-Context

14 And I will appoint them [as] the keepers of the responsibility of the temple, for all of its work and {everything} which will be done in it.

15 But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok, who cared for the responsibility of my sanctuary {when the Israelites went astray} from me, they will approach me to serve me, and they will stand {before me} to offer to me fat and blood," {declares} the Lord Yahweh.

16 "They shall come to my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table to serve me, and they will observe my requirement.

17 {And then} {when they come} to the gates of the inner courtyards, they shall put on their inner linen garments and not wear wool [garments] {when they serve} in the gates of the inner courtyard and {inside} the temple.

18 Linen turbans shall be on their head and linen undergarments shall be on their waists; they shall not gird themselves with [material causing] perspiration.